An automatic analyzer used for chemical analyses such as a biochemical analyzer and an immunity analyzer in clinical examinations performs measurements by holding plural kinds of reagents in a reagent storage according to analysis items, drawing a given amount of reagent from a reagent container in the reagent storage at the time of use and mixing the reagent with a sample. A normal reagent container is provided with a lid for preventing evaporation, deterioration and leakage of the reagent in an opening of the container for drawing the reagent therefrom. When a new reagent is charged into the apparatus, an operator sets the reagent container at a predetermined position in the reagent storage after opening the lid. In this case, the opening of the reagent container is constantly opened, evaporation, deterioration and so on of reagents may occur in some reagents which are stored in the reagent storage for a long period of time. Moreover, when the operator takes the reagent container out from the reagent storage, liquid leakage may occur in the case where the operator accidentally knocks over the reagent container.
In Patent Literature 1, an automatic analyzer including a reagent lid opening/closing mechanism capable of opening and closing lids of reagent containers in a reagent storage is described. In the apparatus, an operator charges reagents in the reagent storage in a state where openings of the reagent containers are sealed. When the reagent is used, the lid of the reagent container is automatically opened, and the reagent can be drawn from the opening. As the opening can be sealed again after the reagent is used, it is possible to reduce the possibility of deterioration and leakage of the reagent.
In Patent Literature 2, there is disclosed an apparatus capable of drawing a reagent in a reagent container by performing a first operation of releasing the sealed state between a lid member and an opening by using a rotating movement of a reagent disc in a reagent storage and a second operation of moving the lid member to a place where the opening is not covered in the state where the sealed state is released as a method of opening and closing the lid of the reagent container mounted on the apparatus.